According to Indian way of thought, every one is advised to do good to others namely not only to the human society but also to living beings other than human being. The Indians are not cow worshippers as others wrongly interpret it, but the Indians are gratitudeful to the species of cow for supplying milk to the human babies and the sentiment is so fine that simply for supplying milk the cow is accepted as one of the seven mothers. That is called Indian cultural mission. We should learn to look upon every living being as our own brother and treat him in that love. Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy began from this philosophy of universal brotherhood which is not restricted to the human kind but to all the species of life. That is the sign of real intelligence. In the Bhagavad-gita it is stated that a learned man looks upon a well educated Brahmin who is well behaved by education and so also upon a candala who is accustomed to eat the dogs.
Fine (Letters)
Correspondence
1947 to 1965 Correspondence
1967 Correspondence
So far the land is concerned my society desires to construct a nice American house on the land for study and promulgation of the Goswami literatures all over the world. We shall start a fine press for publication both in Sanskrit and English language and we can appoint your son as the Press manager if he can manage. I wish I would have gone immediately to India but if I go just now the work here will suffer. So please be with me in this project as you have promised for the service of Srila Jiva Goswami. I think simply the land in Lotankunja will not be sufficient. I want other lands also on the northern side of my room as well as on the western side of the Temple.
Today I have consulted with two Ayur Vedic physicians, one of whom is famous in these quarters, and they conclude that my trouble is with my heart, but that all danger is past, and that I will be just fine, provided I follow simple regulative measures with my diet and work. I also have been given some medicine, so we shall see how Krishna desires. Tomorrow, Krishna willing, we will go to Vrindaban, where you can send mail to me.
This means that Krishna is giving you more & more facilities. Krishna is such a nice boss that he gives more facilities & improvement to the sincere servant. From the very beginning of your meeting with me you have very sincerely & honestly carried out my orders & I am so much obliged to you for your simple and plain behavior. Kindly continue this attitude & advise all your God-brothers to do so & they will be happy consequently I shall also be happy. Please guide your innocent God-sisters who have come to our shelter. Girls are more susceptible to the finer attack of maya. Boys are a little stronger in getting out of the intricacies of Maya. Mrinalini, Jadurani & all other girls who are so qualified, good-looking, intelligent, educated & seriously engaged in Krishna Consciousness, should always be give protection from the attack of maya. In my philosophy there is no abstinence from sex life but K.C. should teach us that sex life is the cause of us becoming conditioned to the material nature.
Nobody cares for the dress; every sane man follows the philosophy and practical talks. Let Kirtanananda Swami do something practically. Let him do whatever he likes and let us see that thousands of American are following him. Unless he does so do not accept his principle. I think all of you except a Sannyasi may dress yourself just like a fine up to date American gentleman but one must have the Tilakas etc as I have mentioned above. Kirtanananda is the first man in our society who cleanly shaved and kept the Sikha on the top of the head and now he has begun to keep beard again. This is not good. Whatever he is doing nowadays has no sanction from me. And he has deliberately disobeyed me by not going to London. Now he appears to be out of my control and therefore I advise you not to follow his principles unless he shows practically something wonderful. I gave him a chance to do this in the matter of opening a Branch in London but he has failed to do it.
Regarding your coming to San Francisco, I have no objection, but because you are only three in Boston, your absence may be felt by your other God-brothers. So if Satsvarupa agrees to leave you, you can come to S.F., otherwise, wait for the proper time. Now by Krishna's Grace, we have got many fine art students like Govinda dasi, Indira dasi, and Malati and many others. So as director of the art dept., you should organize them in one place and overflood with pictures. We require these pictures in large quantities both for selling and for decoration. So I think you should immediately organize these potential artists in one place, either in S.F. or N.Y., or wherever you like, and give daily at least one dozen pictures.
1968 Correspondence
Yes, anything of which we have no conception, the unknown particle, that is the representation of Paramatma. Yes, your interpretation is quite feasible, because from the Vedic literature that spiritual particle is measured as 1/10,000 part of the upper portion of the hair. So if the physicist's conclusion about the measurement of the soul, that is 100 times finer than what they are already discovered. But however fine and smallest it may be, there is measurement of spirit soul, maybe beyond the experimental knowledge of human scientists. The confusion must continue because this measurement of spirit soul is beyond the range of experimental mind, and understanding. Therefore, confusion.
Yes, the essay for the booklet is also the script for the new record. I am very glad that Jadurani is inspecting our fine arts department. It is very much gratifying. Please offer my blessings to the new boy John. I am very much anxious to get our position as non-government organization in the U.N., please try for it your best.
I have received your letter dated Feb. 14, 1968, and I am happy to hear all the good news from our fine art department. I think I have already given you instructions in this regard. In my opinion your guiding the girls working under you for painting is very important, and if this business doesn't suffer, you can think of going to S.F. for organizing the asrama. If all the Brahmacarini's gather together and work under your guidance, at any place, I will prefer that proposition. If the majority of the girls are in N.Y., why not have the other Brahmacarini's from S.F. go there and work under your direction, either in N.Y. or in Boston, as it is best. Hope you are well. For the time being drop the idea of going to S.F. better concentrate your energy in organizing the artist girls under your care. The Brahmacarinis at S.F. may be called at N.Y. or Boston.
Regarding supplies from India: I have induced my younger son, Vrindaban De, to supply all kinds of Indian craftsmanship, namely ornaments, cloth, fine arts, dolls, saris, wooden slippers, linen shirts, or, anything that is sellable here, on 10% commission, and he has agreed. Mukunda and Gargamuni have agreed, and they are going to place orders to him. I think he may get 10% commission for his labor, and he can supply everything you may require from India. The terms is 25% should be advanced, and the balance paid on delivery of the documents. This arrangement, I think, will help to import all kinds of Indian art without any difficulty, and you can arrange for importing things that you may require.
Yes, if Mahapurusa is more needed in New York for his fine cooking service, then he may go there when necessary. Please convey my blessings for both Mahapurusa and Sivananda; they are very sincere souls working very hard to please Krishna and their Spiritual Master. You are all very good servitors of the Lord there, and I am very much anxious for your writings to begin, as they will be a great aid in our spreading of this Krishna Consciousness. Hope you are all well.
The dishwashing occupation is open to anyone who wishes to help. There is no restriction. Also, non-initiates may help in cooking prasadam under the direction of devotees. That is all right.
Please keep me informed of the progress of your fine arts department; I am always anxious to hear how they are doing very nicely. Hope you are well, and I hope Pradyumna is being well taken care of, and will be feeling better soon.
Whenever there is need of my lecture, I am always prepared to serve; it doesn't matter whether big or small. Probably as you are making fine arrangements, many will come to the Temple to hear me, so in that case, I must come. Best thing will be to see people in the class, not in my private apartment. Lecturing or meeting must be done in the classroom, that's all.
You will be glad to know that we have now signed lease for a new temple for the Los Angeles center. It is very large, fine chapel and now there is program being organized here to set everything up very nicely and invite many new people to participate in our programs. Krishna has been very kind to grant us such facilities and now there are many efforts to be made to use it nicely.
You will be very glad to know that our Montreal center has mimeographed a very fine edition in French language of Back To Godhead. I think that in Vancouver there may be good opportunity to circulate this publication so you may write to Hamsaduta in Montreal to make arrangements for ordering copies.
You have asked about singing the prayers of Narottama Thakura and yes, they are very much approved in any language. Please convey my thanks to Janardana for the fine work he has done on the magazine and also request him to write to me about his future plans of going to France. He is a most sincere, important member of our society and I think that in France he may be able to do much to popularize our movement and to circulate our new French magazine.
So I shall send it. So far Los Angeles temple is concerned, we have just now leased a very big church, with large meeting hall and various compartments, so here we shall need many very large paintings for making the hall attractive. If it is possible, you can paint very large ones, as large or even larger than the one you sent to Montreal of the Gopis. Regarding the gesso sizing of the canvases: If they last for 20 years that is fine and plenty long enough. The other process sounds too complicated, and this plastic sounds to be very nice.
I have seen with very much pleasure the floor plan to our new temple. You have done nicely in arranging the placement of the various items in the temple. Having the guests enter through the store area is all right and will be good advertisement. Regarding Nara Narayana, he is already preparing to go there. He is very intelligent and I understand that he has very fine carpentry skills. Also, he has knowledge about casting deities, so after his business with the temple work is completed you can try to encourage him to continue with his casting work. He is coming from a respectable farm family, but sometimes I understand he becomes little eccentric, so keep him carefully. He is a hard worker and a good boy, and a devotee also. So far as portioning off part of the kitchen for prasadam taking area, the idea is very nice. But as usual, no prasadam should be taken in the kitchen where cooking goes on.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 27, 1968 along with one very beautiful picture by Jadurani. I am so pleased to see this wonderful portrait and please convey my hearty thanks to Jadurani for her fine endeavors.
1969 Correspondence
I am very much thankful for your nice appreciative letter of my activities in this country and my Krishna bless you for all the fine sentiments that you have by the grace of the Lord. Practically there is no credit for me, if there is any credit it goes to my Spiritual Master, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Prabhupada, Who is helping me by sending so many good souls like you in this movement. Whatever is being done, it is due to His Divine Grace only. So my business is just to carry out His order. That is the way of disciplic succession; and as you have all come to help me, if you also follow the same principles then our combined effort to serve Lord Krishna will be surely successful. So far L.A. temple is concerned, both you and your good wife Nandarani, desired to see the temple affairs improve, which I understood from your past letters.
Regarding your question about the difference between mind and soul, the mind is one of the senses, and the soul is the owner of the senses, including the mind. The mind is material, just like the material body, but when the material coverings are taken away, as we revive our spiritual body, similarly we revive our spiritual mind also. At the present moment, my material mind, intelligence and ego is carrying me in different types of bodies, because mind has different desires, and it carries the soul just like finer air carries the flavor of the flower or some other smell. So the mind is an instrument, and the soul is the worker of the instrument.
Regarding Karatieya, if he wants to go to Germany, he can go, but if you require him in San Francisco at present, don't encourage him to go at present. But in Germany there is a need for brahmacaris, and Karatieya knows a little German language. In Germany they are now printing a very fine German edition of Back To Godhead, and I am enclosing some clippings and a leaflet they have printed there. If Karatieya can explain the words on these pages, then he can be encouraged to go to Germany. Just today I have received invitation from Krishna das that they want me to go immediately there, and even they have purchased one ticket for me. I will not be able to go to Germany immediately, but perhaps after the Rathayatra Festival this may be arranged.
I am very encouraged to learn that Laguna Beach is doing nicely. Similarly, I am getting good reports from Berkeley. But I have not as yet received any letter from Tokyo. Have they secured any place for starting temple? Regarding your proposed center in Santa Barbara, it is nice. If a California center is favorable, we should first open there. Regarding the photographs of the pictures I have asked you to take, yes, these should be of very fine quality for being published in our Nectar of Devotion and Krishna book. So far as the size is concerned, this you must consult with Brahmananda, because he is in charge of setting up the books. The picture by Devahuti which was in my room will be printed on the cover of Nectar of Devotion, so Brahmananda must decide if this picture will cover the entire front cover, with the title printed on top of it, or if there will be some space allowed for the title on an upper margin, as was done in TLC.
Similarly, regarding the land, it is also a very attractive proposal. If the land is not rocky and there is sufficient open space for pasturing ground so that we may keep cows all the year round, then it is a very nice proposal. Tamala Krishna told me about such land, and he is very hopeful about getting our men in that quarter (California). So you can try for it, and if possible please let me know what is the actual situation of the land. Regarding my accepting a teaching position in Berkeley University, which is said to be the finest University in the United States, this is also a nice proposal. Actually, I want to have such position for some time in order to attract the University students. But one thing must be noted that I will not be free to take the class between 11 am and 5 pm. If that is possible, you can negotiate for such post. If actually I get such post, naturally I will have to live in Berkeley. And as you say the climate is nice there, there will be no difficulty.
1970 Correspondence
That is a fact, this plan of Sankirtana is the only way, the only way for our success. Sankirtana, Love Feast and selling BTG, they are our primary engagements and next Temple worship. Temple worship is needed for the inner section. In the beginning, Sankirtana is more important for drawing the attention of the people in general. Last night, I went to see our men chanting in Hollywood Boulevard, and I saw it was so fine and satisfactory.
I am glad to learn that you are painting and have just finished one picture of Yasoda Krishna. This is a great talent of yours. Regarding taking a job after leaving school this summer, there is no need—rather you should stay at the Temple. You can take Prasadam etc. at the Temple and in that way Krishna will support you; you should not work outside, but you may live at home just as after working one returns home at night. There are many qualified devotees, so you may choose a husband from among them. I am very happy to learn how you are eager to start a new center and have nice Deity worship, so you may follow the fine example of your sister in this way. That is very nice. Just develop your sincere attitude of serving Krishna and He will kindly provide all the necessities for further advancement in Krishna Consciousness.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 7 March, 1970. I am so much obliged to you for the fine sentiment you have expressed in connection with my humble service; but this is not very extraordinary—every human being, for his own interest, should accept a Spiritual Master and abide by His order. This is the Vedic system, and whatever we are trying to do, it is in pursuance of the old order.
So when he says that he does not wish to produce nonsense this does not mean that he has to close his business. On the other hand, he will get greater opportunity for producing finest transcendental records which are still unknown to the world. When you meet him again, you can talk with him what I am speaking to you in this letter. My special thanks are due to your good wife, Srimati Yamuna devi. Her singing songs of Krishna Consciousness, and Krishna will certainly bless her and you all.
So I think you tried to get yourself married sometimes before and now Krsna has given you one very good wife. You are intelligent boy, hard worker and devotee of Krsna and your wife is very fine girl and sincere devotee also, so you both, husband and wife, combined together work for your mutual advancement in Krsna consciousness. That is my desire.
When I spoke there sometimes back our Krsna Consciousness philosophy was very much appreciated, so I think this is an important place for our literatures to be available to the students and faculty. Please go on with this engagement enthusiastically and Krsna will give you all success in the venture. You are intelligent and hard working devotee of Krsna and Krsna will bless you for this very fine service which you are rendering unto Him.
I am very pleased that you are so sincerely and humbly trying to surrender to the instructions of Krsna and your Spiritual Master. This is the prime qualification of a devotee, so maintain fine attitude and advance in Krsna's loving service.
I am so very much encouraged to see your fine letter dated Sept. 21st, 1970, and your movement is being recognized by the sensible persons. Naturally there will be increase of new members everywhere.
Since we have come to Calcutta many boys are coming to us even they were very much subversive to the social orders. People are very much appreciating our Movement. Wherever we go for preaching work hundreds of men gather and they contribute liberally according to their capacity. We have already two centers in Calcutta and trying to have our own center in the most important neighborhood of this city.
I am very glad to now that you are following a strict schedule of devotional service and that will keep you all strong in Krsna Consciousness. Please maintain this standard and improve further. It appears that Krsna is giving you nice facilities and nice devotees also for fulfilling His Mission in Australia. Please train the new devotees nicely and have them carefully read our literatures so they get a fine understanding of our Krsna Consciousness.
I beg to thank you for your nice letter dated 26 Damodara 484 Caitanya Era. It is my great pleasure that so many fine young boys have joined this Krsna Consciousness Movement and they are finding that their lives have been saved by this simple process. I have many times expressed my sympathy with the frustrated and unhappy younger generation of your country and it is our duty to teach them this formula for peace and happiness by chanting the Mahamantra. This is the business of a devotee, he himself finds the secret that by simply loving Krsna one automatically acquires love for all other beings and he takes it as the prime duty of life to spread this sublime knowledge to everyone he meets.
I am very much pleased to know that you are trying to set a fine example to your young son, Joseph, and your good wife. It is the duty of our students who are married men to train both their wife and children in devotional service to the Supreme Lord. The easiest program is that you add to your daily schedule a Kirtana chanting of Hare Krsna Maha-mantra both in the evening and the morning with your family and after chanting you can read something from our Bhagavad Gita As It Is or Krsna Book or our other literatures. You are already offering service to Lord Jagannatha and offering Him some nicely prepared fruits, milk, sweet smelling flowers and incense. That is the way for householders.
1971 Correspondence
It is always so much encouraging to me to hear how nicely you are distributing our books, especially to the schools and universities. Please continue in this way and let your fine example be incentive for all the other centers to follow.
Please accept my blessings and offer the same to your fine Vaisnava son Premananda. I am in due receipt of your very kind letter dated 28th December.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 28th February and 17th March, 1971 respectively and have noted the contents carefully. Also I have received the two articles enclosed and I am so glad that they were well received by respectable persons. They are fine publicity for our society.
I don't know what kind of photos you used, but they are looking especially nice. All of you are such fine looking Vaisnavas. So be blessed and go forward in Krishna Consciousness. You are looking so nice. And your altar is looking very nice also. Thank you very much.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated 21st April, 1971 as well as the photos of the altar and your fine looking Vaisnava son, sent by separate post. If he grows more teeth you will have to supply him more prasadam. That's nice. And he is such a fortunate child. From the very beginning he is having association with devotees, when he was 6 months old he chose Bhagavatam. So take care of him nicely and raise him a Krishna Conscious child and be blessed with your good husband and child and Lord Jagannatha, and be full of transcendental bliss.
So far your questions: The demigods, when they try to ascertain who is the Supreme, they become bewildered, what to speak of ordinary men. Their senses are also limited. Therefore the speculation process is condemned. The picture is fine. There is no need to show the demigods bewildered; I have already explained in my previous letter that inside the body the soul is suffering and that suffering is expressed by the bodily features. Everyone in this material world is suffering. So simply the idea is there, that's all. All the details it is not possible to show.
It is also encouraging to note that you are getting such a fine house for your new temple. It is so large and on the main street of Cleveland. I can tell that you are all sincere devotees because Krishna is giving you such nice facility to serve him. So make the house very gorgeous, to the standard of our L.A. and N.Y. temples and when you are ready, Radha and Krishna can be installed there also.
I am glad to learn that you had contact with my disciple Vaikunthanatha and his wife Saradia Devi there in Guyana. Presently Vaikunthanatha and wife are in Trinidad at the following address: c/o B.N. Singh; 258 Christian Drive; Plaisance Park; Pointe-a-Pierre; Trinidad, W. Indies, and are working very hard to push on this Krishna Consciousness movement in that part of the world. They are very sincere young couple and I am very much appreciative of the fine work they are doing there. Formerly they were in Guyana but when their visas expired, they were forced to leave the country, despite the local support. But I know that there are many people in Guyana who are wanting to see us establish one center of our International Society for Krishna Consciousness there in Guyana.
1972 Correspondence
Krishna has been very kind to you that as soon as you have gone to Munich to open a new center, He has helped you with a very suitable accommodation. Now develop everything very nicely there and build a fine, strong Krishna Consciousness center. Be very enthusiastic and determined to teach everyone the message of Lord Caitanya. We must follow strictly the four regulative principles and always chant at least 16 rounds daily and this will keep us pure. Lord Caitanya wants that this movement be spread to every nook and corner of the earth, so we require so many hundreds of thousands of sincere young men like yourself to take it up. I wish that it will be noted down in history that this Krishna Consciousness Movement is responsible for saving the world. Practically, our Movement is the only hope for saving the world from complete disaster. So you have got all good opportunity now, do everything very nicely. Krishna will soon bless you with a nice child and as soon as it is born you may inform me and I will be pleased to give it a name.
So far you being philosophically-minded, that I can see and appreciate, but in future I think you can ask any questions you may have in these matters to one of the Swamis or to your GBC man. I have given them the answers to all such questions, so they can help you. I am an old man now, and my interests are turning to philosophy and translation. If you help me by relieving me from this administrative work, that will free me to give you so many more fine books from Vedic literature and from our own devotional line. So kindly assist me in this way. Actually, if you simply serve in a surrendered attitude, and go on chanting regularly, the answers to everything will come out automatically: "To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me." (X, 10).
Your ideas for Rathayatra are nice, so do it like that. If you want any suggestions or points, I shall give you. I suggested to make a smaller ratha of wood finely-carved with silver plating if possible; if not, you can have a nice ratha in the normal way. In childhood, my ratha used to go to this temple, so if this is again introduced, it will be again very much appreciated by Radha-Govinda.
I have indicated in my previous letter of several days back some hints for giving Krsna Consciousness children their proper education. I consider this Gurukula school to be one of our most important aspects of this movement and it should be given all serious consideration by the members. If we are able to make a whole generation of our children into fine Krsna Conscious preachers, that will be the glory of our movement and the glory of your country as well. But if we neglect somehow or other and if we lose even one Vaisnava, that is very great loss.
I have heard from Siddha Svarupa that Tusta Krsna and his wife Krsna Tulasi are now fine and living in Krsna Consciousness on some farm in Australia. And he has assured me that things are going all right in New Zealand, and I have got one letter from the new president there at Auckland, and it appears that everything will go on nicely. But I think you should go there once and see how the things are going on just to the proper standard. Tusta Krsna is such intelligent boy and capable worker, and I had thought that without him the whole thing would collapse, but whether that is actually the case? Anyway, you may give me report as you see it.
1974 Correspondence
Yes, the farm plan in New Orleans is fine. But one thing is if we get land we must first be sure we will be able to fully utilize it, otherwise, if we cannot use it what is the use? I want the world to see by our example that life can be lived naturally, peacefully if one is self sufficient with land, some cows and chanting Hare Krishna. That is the idea of purchasing land. It is not necessary that every temple have a farm, but as many as can be efficiently managed locally is all right. Let them see our centers are self sufficient. Whatever can be managed conveniently. If they can manage a farm in Detroit also, what is the harm?
I can, however, only stay a few days in San Francisco after the Festival. I am due back in Vrindaban, India by about the 25th of July, and I wanted to visit Los Angeles as well as other cities in the U.S., so that does not leave me much time for staying in one place. My plan presently is to leave S.F. for L.A. on the 11th July. So any engagements you can make in S.F. before that time will be fine.
1976 Correspondence
The atmosphere in Vrindaban is beyond compare and the teachers are far more experienced as we have many men willing to work there who are retired and qualified professors, what to speak of our own scholars who are living in Vrindaban and starting this gurukula project. Many people will contribute to expand this program and the Krishna-Balarama Mandir is the finest in the world. All the devotees in Vrindaban, especially the children are in fine health and their needs are being guaranteed by the members. They can even beg from door to door and collect enough to feed themselves nicely. This is the system. This is the required training. But if this is done in America, they will accuse us of child cruelty although this is actually the saving grace of the child and he becomes very blissful. Therefore in all ways it is obvious that the best place to have this gurukula is in Vrindaban and this should be done before the US Government starts to cause a disturbance which will harm us, and before we have to waste large sums of money on a risky endeavor which may turn out to be a complete failure.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 8, 1976, and I have noted the contents with great pleasure. Continue with this program of standing orders. It is very important preaching work. At least if they read our books they will not speak nonsense that kirtana is nuisance. I have asked Gopala Krsna and Tejyas das to keep sufficient stock of all of our books so that we can supply the standing orders immediately. They very much appreciate the fine printing and color illustrations which are not available in other Indian publications. So somehow or other introduce these books into the universities and libraries like that.
Of course you should always cleanse Him with dry or damp cloth from time to time, but no daily bathing process is recommended by me for the time being. 2. You may dress Him in the same manner as Lord Krishna. 3. Deities should be changed in early morning, after mangala arati, before noon offering, and before Sundara arati They should be put on Their fine dress. 4. The Govardhana rock should be returned to Mt. Govardhana as soon as possible. I am very glad that you are doing such a nice service by worshiping Radharani and Krishna so nicely and giving Them so many nice clothes and ornaments and taking such nice care, so now I am very much relieved to know everything is going well in Calcutta during my absence. Now you make Mayapur into a gorgeous palace for Radha and Krishna, and I shall come there immediately and sit down there permanently to stay by Them.
Regarding handloom, can they not produce fine cloth? Fine cloth will be received in any part of the world. Regarding food distribution, they may come to take at our Temple. With travelling sankirtana we can distribute wherever we go, but not to the emergency spot, like that.
| Page Title: | Fine (Letters) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur |
| Created: | 15 of Dec, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=54 |
| No. of Quotes: | 54 |